


In The Garden

by TheDarkStrategist



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-20 09:29:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19373944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDarkStrategist/pseuds/TheDarkStrategist
Summary: For the moment, they forgot about the war, about the kingdom infighting, the mystic forces at work. In that place and time, they were just Blake and Yang, two huntresses in love, wrapped in each other’s embrace. Maybe someday they could just be that. Not soldiers, not saviors.Just two women in love.





	In The Garden

**Author's Note:**

> This story is dedicated to my sweet and wonderful girlfriend, who’s birthday was the other day. I love you sweetheart. Thank you for always being there for me and being as amazing as you are. This story is for you.

When Yang had asked Ruby for help, she hadn’t realized an impromptu fashion session was what her sister had in mind. If she had, she’d have grabbed Weiss. She knew way more about this kind of thing that Ruby did. But Yang was clearly distressed and Ruby would do anything for her older sister.

That didn’t mean she had to enjoy it. 

“This is as bad as the dance,” Ruby complained. She was sprawled out on Yang’s bed, her head resting on her hands. She folded her arms and settled her chin on top of them. “Just wear whatever. I promise Blake will like whatever you pick.”

”That’s not helpful,” Yang muttered as she plucked two shirts from her closet.

Ruby groaned. “I don’t know anything about fashion! Why don’t you just ask Weiss for help?”

”I did,” Yang replied. “She said she was already busy helping someone with something.”

If Ruby had to guess, Weiss was most likely in the same position as her, acting as fashion advisor to Blake. She wondered if Blake was as difficult as Yang when it came to this sort of thing.

”So, which one?” Yang asked

Her sister stood before her, dressed only in a pair of yoga pants, her bra, and her fleece jacket. She held a warm, sunny orange muscle tee in one hand and a snow white button up in the other. Yang’s brow was knit with indecision and she eyed Ruby with quiet desperation.

Ruby pointed to the muscle tee, figuring it was more her sister’s style. “The orange one.”

Yang frowned, holding the tee a bit farther away, eyeing it warily. “Really? Isn’t it too casual? You’re supposed to wear something fancy on a date, right?”

Ruby buried her face in her hands, shaking her head irritably. “If you think that then why even ask me? It sounds like you already made up your mind.”

”Because I’m nervous!” Yang tossed both shirts over the mirror, the clothes hanging limply on top of it and then collapsed against the bed next to her sister. “This is all new to me, y’know?”

Ruby readjusted herself so that she was sitting up with her legs crossed. She looked down at Yang with a soft yet confused expression. “I get that, but why are you nervous about this? You’ve technically been on a date with her before. You guys went to the ball together, remember?”

”That was different. We were going to the ball regardless of whether we wanted to or not. I asked her to go somewhere with me this time. I want to give her a good time without having to worry about all this ‘save the world’ business.” Yang looked over at Ruby with clear distress in her eyes. “What if she doesn’t like what we’re doing or she thinks I look stupid?”

”Nope.”

”Huh? What do you mean ‘nope’?”

”Yang, Blake cares about you so much. You really think one bad date or silly looking outfit is gonna make her not like you anymore?”

Yang opened her mouth to answer but then quickly shut it. The distress evaporated from her face, and her lips curled into an embarrassed smile. “You’re right, sis.” She glanced at her little sister, an appreciative glint in her eyes. “Thank you for putting up with your silly sister.”

Ruby grinned and gave Yang a playful shove. “Hey, no problem. You’ve always been there for me. It’s about time I was there for you.”

Yang shot up to give Ruby a short but tight hug, which Ruby returned with intensity. They both pulled away from each other and Yang hopped off the bed then shrugged off her jacket, tying it around her waist. She pulled on the white button up, leaving the first few buttons undone. She then untied her brown fleece jacket and pulled it over her shirt.

Yang ran over to the dresser, searching for something. Ruby dug around inside her sister’s bedside table, knowing exactly what she was looking for. She pulled out a dark purple scarf and held it aloft like a trophy.

”Looking for this?”

Yang ran over to Ruby, taking the scarf out of her sister’s hand. It was a gift from Blake and Yang had been wearing it and carrying it around like a security blanket ever since she’d gotten it.

Yang wrapped the scarf around her neck before looking herself over in the mirror. She was pleased with the outfit though she could still feel a bit of doubt niggling at the back of her brain.

”So, what do you think?” she asked.

Ruby smiled fondly at her. “You look great, sis, Blake will love it.”

”Thanks, Ruby,” Yang said kindly. “For real. I know you’d probably rather be doing anything else.”

Ruby climbed off the bed and wrapped her sister in a supportive hug. “Hey, no need to thank me.” Ruby gave her sister a mischievous grin before giving her a rough shove towards the door. “Now, go get her, tiger,”

Yang chuckled as she made her way out of the bedroom. Ruby had been so gung-ho about supporting Yang’s relationship with Blake. It was amusing at times, but she truly did appreciate that her sister had her back.

In the foyer of the apartment stood Blake, who was idly texting someone on her scroll. She was dressed in a pair of skin tight black pants, a fleece jacket, and one of her black crop tops. This one was a bit fancier though; the material shimmered like starlight across her partner’s chest and it took Yang an embarrassing amount of time to pull her eyes away from the sight. It was her own fault, really. She had told Blake that where they were going would be warm and she’d dressed for just such an occasion.

Yang’s eyes eventually settled on Blake’s neck and she smiled fondly when she noticed Blake was wearing the orange scarf Yang had given her. Blake had been hesitant to accept it, not wanting to take something she knew had such sentimental value to Yang, so it warmed her heart to see her partner wearing it.

One of Blake’s cat ears perked up as she heard Yang approach. She looked up, giving Yang a fond grin as she pocketed her scroll. They stepped toward each other, meeting in the middle of the foyer. Yang hesitantly stretched out her hands and Blake took them, squeezing them tightly.

”You look great,” Blake said as she rubbed a thumb across the knuckles of Yang’s left hand.

”So do you,” Yang replied, slightly nervous. “I like your top. It goes great with your...well, everything.”

Blake giggled. “Thanks. Same to you. I like the button up. Very fancy.”

”Glad you like it,” Yang said. She took a quick glance at the wall clock farther down the hall and felt a slight ping of panic in her chest. They were going to be late at this rate. “Ready to go?”

Blake nodded though she had an eyebrow cocked curiously. “You still haven’t told me where we’re going, you know.”

”I know, I know,” Yang said as she grabbed a brown knapsack near the apartment door. “I just...I want it to be a surprise. I think you’re gonna love it though. Trust me?”

Blake pulled Yang’s prosthetic arm to her chest and Yang had to remind herself to breathe. Her partner’s gaze was so intense, filled with fondness, care, a promise. “Always.”

Yang felt her heart melt in response and she unconsciously gripped Blake’s hand tighter. “Ok. Let’s go.”

* * *

When Yang had asked Blake to go somewhere with her, she’d expected their destination to be loud and boisterous, a theme park or maybe a night club. Those places seemed like Yang’s kind of scene. She hadn’t expected _this_.

The building before them was a bit of an oddity compared to its surrounding neighbors. Most of the buildings in Atlas’s downtown were skyscrapers, towering high above the city’s populace. This place, while still large, was comparatively squat and horizontal with a large dome structure built into the end of it. Through the dome’s transparent surface, Blake could see palm trees and jungle ferns. Vines adorned with bright, jewel like flowers clung to the inside of the dome, looking like a string of party lights.

A large golden plated sign was screwed above the entrance and read in big, bold letters ‘ _Atlas Botanical Gardens’._

Yang had certainly surprised her. She would have never thought in a million years that her partner would take them to somewhere like this. Not that Blake was complaining. After seeing nothing but snow and dead trees across the city, swaying palm trees and glittering flowers were a welcome sight.

Blake glanced at Yang out of the corner of her eye. Yang was watching her closely, trying to gauge Blake’s reaction. She was smiling at her but there was a nervous edge to it. The corners of her lips seemed to twitch slightly, as if preparing her mouth to form into a frown. Blake cracked a grin and slipped her hand into Yang’s, giving her right hand a reassuring squeeze, endeared by her partner’s obvious drive to impress her. Yang must have felt a tug on her prosthetic, because her eyes slid to her hand. Her uneasy smile transitioned into a genuine one and she returned Blake’s gentle squeeze with one of her own. 

They entered the building, hand in hand, earning them a few curious and bewildered looks from some of their fellow patrons. Yang glared at the onlookers menacingly, as did Blake. The onlookers took the hint and proceeded to return to their previous activities.

They approached the front desk and an old, balding man in safari gear sat behind the counter. He raised an eyebrow at the pair, obviously thrown by their presence.

“May I help you young ladies?” he asked curiously.

Yang nodded. “We’re here for the—“ She paused and dug what looked like a pamphlet out of her back pocket and unfurled it. “—the ‘ _ Exotics Botanical Tour with Meadow Expansion _ ’.”

“This isn’t just some greenhouse you can strut into,” the clerk said somewhat sharply. “Tour’s are made by reservation and our rates are hardly within your—“

“I have a reservation,” Yang interrupted, irritation clear in her features. “Look up Xiao Long and Belladonna.”

The clerk huffed but checked the computer before him. After a minute or so, he shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Now, if you two would kindly—“

“Check under Schnee then,” Yang insisted.

The clerk seemed to go stock still at the mention of that name and he hurriedly went through the database again, this time getting a match. He printed out two tickets and hastily pressed them into Yang’s hands.

“My apologies. I had no clue you were friends of Miss Schnee,” the clerk stuttered. “Please, for my lack of manners, whatever you purchase at the gift shop or snack bars shall be covered by me. Enjoy the gardens.”

Before Yang or Blake could say anything, the clerk put a hand on each girl’s shoulder and steered them towards the gardens’ entrance, shoving them as gently as he could through the doorway. He once again muttered his apologies to the pair before booking it back to his post. Yang and Blake looked at each other with clear surprise and disbelief in their eyes.

“Well, that was weird,” Yang said, scratching the back of her head.

“The Schnees must have some shares invested here,” Blake reasoned. “It probably scared him senseless when he saw the reservation was under Weiss’s name.”

“Based on the change in attitude, I’d have to agree.”

Blake felt a tap on her shoulder, the touch startling her so badly that she spun around and shifted into a combat position, her hand reaching for her a weapon at her back that wasn’t there.

Before her stood a young woman in a dark green safari outfit, similar to the one the desk clerk had been in. She had her hands raised up defensively and she looked as startled as Blake felt. The woman tugged at a name tag on her lapel, as if offering it as a symbol of peace.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you guys,” she said. “My name’s Beryl Stone. I’ll be your guide for the tour. You’re the Schnee party, correct?”

Blake felt Yang’s arm settle around her shoulder, and the touch was comforting enough that Blake let the tenseness in her shoulders fall away. Even though she knew the events of Argus were far behind them, Blake’s body didn’t always seems to get the memo. She was still a little jumpy from everything that had happened.

Yang picked up on the change in attitude instantly. She slid her arm from Blake’s shoulders to her waist, pulling her gently to her side. Blake glanced at Yang. Her expression was soft and understanding, it made Blake feel safer than any weapon ever could. She mirrored Yang and slid her arm around the blonde’s waist, prompting her partner to give a shy yet beaming smile.

“We are,” Yang answered happily.

Beryl gave the pair a once over and then gave them what looked an approving smile. “Ready for your tour, ladies?”

They both nodded and proceeded to follow Beryl into the garden proper, both locked in each other’s embrace.

Blake was awestruck. Even during her grandest adventures through Remnant, she had never seen a place so beautiful, so full of life. There were tall, sturdy oak trees with bright reds leaves imported from Vale, twisted, hanging vines from Mistral, and a patch of bright, beaming sunflowers that she’d seen during their arrival in Argus.

Beryl’s scientific facts about each type of flora played like white noise in the background. All Blake could focus on was the artificial sunlight on her skin, the beauty of the nature around her, and…

...And Yang’s beautiful face. Yang was similarly awestruck, mooning over all the flowers and trees before them. She had a mesmerizing smile on her lips, her face upturned to capture the artificial warmth on her skin. Her hair shone like liquid fire. She was a sight to behold and Blake wanted to drink in all of it.

Yang glanced at her, her grin still plastered to her face as she cocked her head curiously to the side. “I got something on my face? You’ve been staring.”

Blake could feel her face turn hot and red and she bumped Yang in the hip in retaliation. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Yang smirked, unabashedly pleased about her partner’s staring. “Uh-huh, suuuuure.”

Blake shook her head in mock exasperation. “Remind me why I like you again?”

That caught Yang off guard and a blush of her own crept up her neck. “My wit and charm?”

Blake gave Yang a coy little smile. “Hmm, I think there’s more to it. You want me to give you a list?”

Yang opened her mouth to continue their banter, but something caught her eye, causing her to fall silent. She gave Blake a light squeeze on the hip and then pointed in the distance with her free hand. “Maybe another time. There’s something I want you to see.”

Blake’s eyes followed where Yang was pointing and any witty banter she’d had prepared previously died on her lips. She gently pulled away from Yang, walking forward in quiet awe.

It was Menagerie, or at least a piece of it, right here in Atlas. There were swaying palms that reminded her of jaunts to the beach with her father when she was little. Shining, fluorescent pink flowers grew in a flower bed, bringing back memories of a garden her mother once tended. Vines with jewel like flowers clung to some of the palm trees. They shone like little balls of fire, reminding her of strings of lights hung in the town square during festivals.

It was almost like sensory overload. She felt tears well up in her eyes at the sight, and she unconsciously reached out for Yang, seeking comfort from the one person she knew that could give it to her. Yang was there in an instant, her hand clasped in Blake’s, the other cupping her face, gently wiping away tears with her thumb.

“You ok?” Yang asked softly.

Blake grasped at the hand on her cheek, clinging to it like a lifeline. “I am more than ok. I...did you know this was here?”

Yang nodded. “It’s why I wanted to take you here.” She continued to rub her thumb across Blake’s cheek, a reassuring touch that Blake appreciated. “You’ve been through so much and I...I thought you might appreciate a little bit of home, y’know?”

This gift of Yang’s meant more than words could articulate. Though a part of her wanted to tell Yang that Menagerie had long stopped being home. Home was lilac eyes and hair like fire and a touch so gentle and steady that Blake couldn’t help but melt into it.

Blake buried her face into Yang’s neck and wrapped her arms around her partner as tightly as possible. Yang melted into the touch and put her arms around Blake’s waist. They stood there, rocking on their heels as they breathed each other in deeply.

“Thank you,” Blake whispered against Yang’s skin. “So much.”

Yang pulled back slightly so she could look Blake in the eye. She had a sweet smile on her face and she was looking at her softly. “No problem.”

There was a loud  _ ahem _ behind them, a clearing of the throat obviously meant to get the pair’s attention. They both looked toward the sound and saw their tour guide standing awkwardly to the side, an apologetic and sheepish grin on her face. “I, uhm, I’m sorry to break up the moment, girls, truly, but I have other tours scheduled for today so…”

Yang and Blake blushed and stuttered their apologies to Beryl, slightly embarrassed that they’d both gotten so carried away in front of a stranger. They continued the tour, both walking hand in hand as they admired the array of flora around them. As if to make up for interfering with Beryl’s timetable, the girls both tried to listen to their guide’s information on the different regions and their native trees and flowers this time, though they both still only caught bits and pieces, as they were much more interested in one another than Beryl’s fun facts about Vacuo succulents.

Beryl stopped in front of a large archway that was covered in vines, a sign at its apex that said  _ Great Meadow Food Court and Gift Shop. _ Beryl clapped her hands together then gestured past the arch. “And this marks the end of the tour, ladies! Past here is a number of food kiosks and gift shops!” She leaned toward them conspiratorially, as if letting them in on a secret. “I recommend  _ Selene’s Sunrise  _ if you want to grab anything to eat here. All of her food is delicious and seasoned to perfection. All the other kiosks’ food is bland as hell. The other vendor’s here probably think salt is too spicy based on how they season their dishes.”

Yang and Blake chuckled at that and thanked Beryl for the tour. Their guide gave them a beaming smile then waved goodbye to them as she hurriedly ran out of the food court, probably on the way to her next tour.

Blake glanced at Yang curiously. “So, should we get  _ Selene’s _ or…?”

Yang shook her head and tugged at the strap of the knapsack she still had slung across her shoulder. “I actually packed us lunch.”

Blake raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

Yang nodded. “Yeah. Follow me.”

Blake did as she was told, letting Yang lead her around the food court, though it didn’t look like any food court she’d ever seen. The floor was actually a thick carpet of grass, peppered with flowers from across the kingdoms. There were tables near the kiosks that looked like lawn furniture though further across the court, or meadow, there were families and couples gathered together on blankets and table clothes with baskets full of food scattered about. It only took Blake a moment to piece together what Yang had planned and it made her heart swell with even more affection over her partner.

Yang found an empty patch of grass in what seemed to be the “picnic” area. She slung the knapsack off her shoulders and began digging inside it. She pulled out a blanket and shook it out before laying it flat on the ground, settling onto it once she’d straightened it out the way she wanted it. Yang patted the area next to her, waiting patiently for Blake to take a seat next to her.

Blake gently took a seat next to Yang, watching her as she pulled an array of food and drinks out of her knapsack. She had brought two bottled waters, two garden salads, a bunch of little finger sandwiches, and some sort of leaf wrap with grilled fish tucked inside. Blake could feel her mouth water as she admired the plethora of food before her. She looked at Yang, who had her arms gesturing at the food as if she were a magician waving at their main act. “Voila! Lunch!”

Yang handed Blake the leaf wrap and a bottle of water then grabbed a few finger sandwiches, stuffing one in her mouth hastily. Blake giggled at her partner’s enthusiasm then took a bite out of her wrap. She sighed in satisfaction, savoring the taste of her meal. The fish was seasoned with lemon and pepper and tasted freshly grilled.

“This is so good,” Blake said, her words slightly muffled by the food still in her mouth. “Where did you buy this?”

Yang shook her head as she popped another tiny sandwich into her mouth. “I didn’t but any of this. I made it.”

Blake almost choked on her wrap. She set it down then looked at Yang in confusion. “ _ You  _ made this?”

Yang chuckled. “Well don’t act  _ too  _ surprised. I mean, I had to learn to cook for Ruby, y’know?”

“No, no, I’m not surprised you can cook,” Blake clarified. “It’s just... _ when _ ? When did you have time to make all this?”

Yang shrugged. “I got up early and started cooking. I heard there was a picnic place here and I thought it’d be…” —Yang flushed slightly at her next words— “...romantic. I thought you’d appreciate it.”

Blake was blown away. It had touched her enough that Yang had thought to bring her here. To know that she’d gotten up hours before she’d had to just to make Blake lunch? It was too much. Yang hadn’t had to do all this yet she had. And it was all for  _ her _ ?

Blake was overwhelmed with affection for her partner. She felt her head spinning at how much she loved Yang, how much she appreciated the woman beside her. She placed her hand over Yang’s and leaned into her, their faces only inches apart.

She noticed Yang’s breath catch in her throat, saw her eyes drift to Blake’s lips then back to her eyes. “Blake…”

“Yes…?” Blake asked breathlessly.

“Can...can I kiss you?” Yang asked, her voice tight with hesitation.

Blake pressed her forehead against Yang’s. “Of course.”

Yang leaned forward, pressing her lips gently to Blake’s. Blake lips twitched into a smile under Yang and that seemed to spur something in her partner because Yang brought Blake’s lower lip into her mouth, sucking gently before pulling back slightly. Blake ached for more, putting one hand in Yang’s hair as she leaned in to capture Yang’s lips against hers once more. She ran her tongue across Yang’s lower lip, asking a silent question. Yang nodded eagerly, opening her mouth slightly so Blake could rake her tongue against Yang’s. Yang brought her hands to Blake’s face, cupping it as she pulled her closer to her. The both pushed and prodded, exploring each other’s mouths with intensity. Blake moaned with pleasure into Yang’s mouth and, as if in response, Yang moaned roughly back. They kept it up until both of them were gasping for air. They pulled back from each other, both red-faced and panting.

“I...uhm...that was…” Yang mumbled as she struggled to remember how to speak.

“Different?” Blake supplied.

“Yeah,” Yang agreed. “But a good different. A  _ very  _ good different.”

Blake smiled as she pressed her forehead against Yang’s once more. “I’d have to agree.”

They’d kissed before at the ball. But it had been slightly chaste, an exploration of boundaries. This? This had had heat and longing and a magnetic pull that the other hadn’t. It was different, like Blake had said. It was a passing of boundaries, a silent agreement that they could do more,  _ be  _ more.

Blake could feel Yang’s eyes on her lips once more. She could see it in her partner’s eyes, could feel it like a wave crashing against her skin. Yang wanted to kiss her again, but something was holding her back.

“Yang?”

“Hmm?”

“Y’know, you can kiss me again if you want. You don’t always have to ask,” Blake reassured.

Yang looked down at her lap for a moment then back at Blake, a sudden seriousness glinting in her lilac eyes. “I know, but I want to. You...you’ve had so many choices taken away from you. So much put upon you. I...I never want to do that to you. I always want you to have a choice.”

Blake didn’t know what to say, so she settled for action. She cupped Yang’s face and brought her lips to hers. It was a soft, gentle kiss, a promise, a reassurance. When Blake pulled back, she ran a thumb across Yang’s cheek then pressed a chaste kiss to the tip of Yang’s nose.

“I made my choice back at a Beacon. It’s you, Yang. It’s always been you.”

Yang didn’t consider herself one easily moved to tears but at the current moment she could feel herself tearing up with joy. She threw her arms around Blake and leaned into her and they both tumbled into the blanket, a mess of limbs tangled together. They both laughed and simply pulled each other close, melting into each other as they took in the view of the gardens together, content and at peace.

For the moment, they forgot about the war, about the kingdom infighting, the mystic forces at work. In that place and time, they were just Blake and Yang, two huntresses in love, wrapped in each other’s embrace. Maybe someday they could just be that. Not soldiers, not saviors.

Just two women in love.

Wouldn’t that be grand?


End file.
